If this paragraph means anything at all, it means that even in the soap industry our manufacturers are being beaten by the foreigner. To what extent foreign soap is imported into the United Kingdom it is impossible to ascertain, for no separate entry under that head is kept at the Custom House. But from the German Green Books one may learn that in 1895 Germany sent to Great Britain soap valued at £35,700. The amount sent by France may have been as much, and probably the United States also sent us a little. The total export of German soap to all parts of the world in 1895 was valued at £197,000. Now for the British side of the case! As to the total production and consumption of soap in this country, no figures are available, but everyone knows how enormous is the consumption of soap produced by English firms whose names are household words. In addition to their providing for the wants of probably ninety-nine out of a hundred of their own countrymen, our soap manufacturers do an enormous and rapidly growing business abroad. Here are the figures:— EXPORTS OF SOAP FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM. --------------+----+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+--- |1881|’82|’83|’84|’85|’86|’87|’88|’89|’90|’91|’92|’93|’94|’95 --------------+----+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+--- Quantities— | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | thousd. cwts. | 354|409|392|476|402|427|453|500|493|497|524|541|605|577|728 Values— | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | thousd. £’s. | 398|458|450|548|472|447|452|482|503|534|571|586|644|621|757 --------------+----+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+--- The following diagram illustrates the almost continuous increase in the value of our soap exports during the last ten years:— [Illustration] Looking at the above figures, it will be seen that in the last six years alone we have added to our exports a sum greater than the total yet attained by Germany. Is it necessary to say more? What pessimistic madness could have led Mr. Williams to “black-list” such a splendidly-thriving and notoriously profitable industry as this, just because he finds a few thousand hundredweight of foreign soap creeping into the country? CHAPTER IV. MORE MISREPRESENTATIONS.